Nigerian film director Tope Adebayo has opened up about the personal losses and challenges he experienced while directing “Jagun Jagun” Part One, a film produced by his brother, Femi Adebayo.
“Jagun Jagun (The Warrior)”, which premiered on Netflix on 10 August 2023, was co-directed by Mr Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani.
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The epic drama featured an ensemble cast that included Adedimeji Lateef, Bimbo Ademoye, Fathia Balogun, Mr Macaroni, and Bukunmi Oluwasina, among others.
A second part of the movie is reportedly in the works.
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In a viral clip released on Wednesday, excerpted from his interview on Oyinmomo TV, Adebayo described the project as unlike anything he had tackled since the start of his directing career.
He explained that the scale and demands of the production weighed heavily on him, adding that he was constantly preoccupied with thoughts about how best to manage the project and ensure its success.
The director said, “I had always known that whenever I was not working, I spent time with my family, going out together to places we liked. However, my work once had a profound impact on me. This happened when we were preparing to shoot ‘Jagun Jagun’ Part One. One day, while I was with my wife, I realised something was wrong as my body did not respond.
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“I became worried and wondered what had happened. I went to see my doctor, who asked what was on my mind. I told him I was not thinking about anything except how to succeed in the work I had at hand. He explained that it was stress from the job and advised me not to worry, saying that once the work was completed, I would be fine. After the work was done, everything returned to normal.”
Bereavement
He further revealed that he tragically lost a child shortly after completing the direction and filming of the first part of the movie.
The director, who acknowledged that his profession often involves numerous challenges and even life-threatening risks, admitted that he never anticipated such a loss.
Recounting the incident, Adebayo said, “What hurt me most about this work was losing one of my children who worked with us. We did not know who we had offended or what went wrong, but that period was extremely tough. After military service, theatre work is one of the most demanding, as both can be life-threatening. Despite all the precautions we took to avoid mistakes, tragedy still struck.
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“After we completed the shooting and returned home, my child fell ill. We were told it was a spiritual attack linked to the location where we had filmed. We did not know what the child had done wrong or whom the child had offended. Sadly, that was how my child died. We went through a lot, and it is only God who has continued to protect and preserve us.”
Adebayo is renowned for directing films such as “Jelili”, “King of Thieves”, “Kesari”, “Kesari the King”, “Inside Life”, “Her Excellency”, and “Ori Rebirth”, among others.
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